Get involved
Come and work with us
Council support, most importantly, and the support of government agencies will make it easier and more cost-effective for government, the private sector and the community to deliver the bold Urban Plunge vision for Sydney, the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains.
We’re here to support you
Opening a new swimming spot is complex, and each site is unique. That’s why the Urban Plunge program supports partners every step of the way to create safe new swimming and water-based recreation sites, and to make existing ones better.
Establishing your site
We can help local Councils and other government agencies to establish swim sites by providing:
- advice on navigating the steps involved, including required approvals and assessments
- access to technical expertise in water and environmental monitoring, including field staff and NATA-accredited lab services
- introductions to existing partners within NSW Health, NSW Environmental Protection Authority and the Department of Planning and Environment to support activating your site
- access to our RiverWatch predictive model.
Activating your site
We can help local Councils and other government agencies with:
- site designs and infrastructure
- operational risk management process, including considerations such as expected usage, regulatory signage design, supervision requirements, equipment and facilities
- developing a water safety plan.
Upcoming events for all supporters
Urban Plunge 2022 Tech Summit
When: 25 November 2022
Where: Parramatta Square and online
The Urban Plunge Tech Summit is a highlight of the SWIF22 program. It's an industry-based event showcasing techniques and innovations that can make swimming and aquatic recreation in our waterways easier, cheaper and safer to deliver.
You can attend in person or online. So find out more now, and register for Urban Plunge Tech Summit 2022.
Prospect pop-up swim spot
When: From Saturday 26 November 2022
Where: Andrew Campbell Reserve, William Lawson Drive, Prospect NSW 2148
You’re invited to make a summer holiday splash with us in the heart of Western Sydney at Prospect Reservoir. Swimming in the pop-up pools and exploring the reservoir’s parklands will be a Summer of Swimming highlight. Tell your community.
Summer of Swimming
When: From Saturday 26 November 2022
Where: All over Greater Sydney
We’re collaborating with councils and other government agencies to celebrate all things swimming across Greater Sydney with the 2022–23 Summer of Swimming. Its focus is on activating permanent and pop-up swim spots over the summer, with a core focus on delivering new swim opportunities in Western Sydney. You can be part of it. Watch out for more details, or contact us with an event you’d like to add.
Places to Swim grants
Applications are open for the 2022–23 round of the NSW Government Places to Swim program, with $10 million of funding for projects across the whole of NSW. Applications close at 4pm, 21 November 2022.
Funding opportunities include:
- up to $1 million for projects that help you get in the water
- up to $750,000 for ideas to get on the water
- up to $500,000 for better access around the water
Find out about successful projects from the 2021–22 grant program and the new round of grants.
We can help with your grant application
Councils throughout Greater Sydney can contact us for advice on:
- identifying suitable sites
- understanding key constraints
- developing appropriate solutions to enable aquatic recreation
We can help you navigate the approvals processes and have experts on hand to advise on requirements for water quality monitoring. Find out more about the Urban Plunge offer.
Need more reasons to get involved?
We’re doing all we can to support councils, NSW Government agencies and their partners as they consider whether to start a new Urban Plunge project or move into the design and delivery stages with an existing project. We invite you to join us for site visits, webinars and workshops. Contact us to find out more about working with Urban Plunge.